]]>https://humanities.blogs.ie.edu/2018/02/la-unidad-de-arqueologia-de-ie-university-presenta-el-ultimo-numero-de-la-revista-cientifica-oppidum.html/feed0https://humanities.blogs.ie.edu/2018/02/la-unidad-de-arqueologia-de-ie-university-presenta-el-ultimo-numero-de-la-revista-cientifica-oppidum.htmlFLORALEDA SACCHI – HARP & ELECTRONICS CONCERThttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/arts-humanities-blog/~3/QRayjOWJvNA/floraleda-sacchi-harp-electronics-concert.html
https://humanities.blogs.ie.edu/2018/02/floraleda-sacchi-harp-electronics-concert.html#respondMon, 12 Feb 2018 10:28:15 +0000http://humanities.blogs.ie.edu/?p=11249You are all invited to enjoy the musical project for Harp and Electronics by Italian HARPIST FLORALEDA SACCHI. Her Album #Darklight remained in the top 5 of the Italian chart for over a week and climbed as well the USA, Canada and several European charts. #Darklight was also among the 250 most listened album all over the world on Spotify.

Need more info? Please contact eleonora.giampieri@ie.educedented result for a Harp recording!

]]>https://humanities.blogs.ie.edu/2018/02/floraleda-sacchi-harp-electronics-concert.html/feed0https://humanities.blogs.ie.edu/2018/02/floraleda-sacchi-harp-electronics-concert.htmlLearning “product Identity” from the Great Mastershttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/arts-humanities-blog/~3/nJemQ24azzA/learning-product-identity-from-the-great-masters.html
https://humanities.blogs.ie.edu/2018/02/learning-product-identity-from-the-great-masters.html#respondFri, 09 Feb 2018 15:07:54 +0000http://humanities.blogs.ie.edu/?p=11243By Santiago Iñiguez de Onzoño, Executive President of IE University

Albrecht Dürer(1471-1528), the renowned German artist, once referred to his colleague Joachim Patinir(1480-1524) as “the good landscape painter”, a compliment unusual among artists with big egos.

Indeed, Patinir was one of the pioneers of Western landscape painting within the early Flemish Renaissance, back at the turn of the Sixteenth Century. I am particularly attached to Patinir since his oil on wood “Landscape with Charon Crossing the Styx” remains as one of my vivid memories from a visit to thePrado Museumin Madrid when I was I child, and since has remained as one of my favorite paintings.

I was then impressed by the subject of the work, quite scatological. In Greek mythology,Charonwas the ferryman who carried the souls of the death across the Styx lake and brings them to paradise –or to Hell, as seen in Patinir’s painting featured above. In ancient Greece, the tradition while mourning a death person was to place a coin in the mouth of the deceased in order to pay for the ferryman’s service.

But I was particularly impressed by the craft of Patinir’s painting: the intensity of its colors, the deep blue that contrasts with the sharp line of the crepuscular flax horizon. True, the size of the figures is not proportioned, but this enhances the personality of the protagonist.

When reading Patinir’s biography, you may become fascinated at how he ran his workshop from a business perspective and how he cared for a premium positioning of his works. He actively cultivated his own image from the start by signing his early works, not a generalized custom in those days, a fact that reveals his concern for reputation and brand image.

He was also able to adapt to the preferences of wealthy merchant-customers by focusing on subjects that resembled cartography, contained allusions to trade or references to travel, an attitude that reveals his smart orientation to customers.

In addition, he developed a distinctive style, a “product identity”, that is still recognizable today, another competitive advantage.

However, according to some art historians, Patinir was not as prolific as some of his contemporary painters. This is due, first to the fact that he did not have many apprentices in his workshop -apparently only one person- whereas other painters in Antwerp had as many as ten.

Second, he did not produce many copies of the same work at a time when replicating a painting was the only way to exploit economies of scale. It is interesting to note, in comparison, that the workshop ofJoos Van Cleeve, located in the same city at that time, produced series of up to twenty eight replicas of the same work. Alternatively, Patinir opted for a differentiation business strategy, enhancing the exclusivity of his works.

Third, Patinir enjoyed a comfortable life since his first wife belonged to a wealthy family and was not probably pressed to work for monetary gain. He probably evolved as a perfectionist, as shown in the style and features of his works.

Managers can learn a lot from the lives of the Old Masters, who were real innovators in their times. Furthermore, attending the Old Masters may enhance the taste for the fine arts and, as the philosopherDavid Hume suggested, improve emotional intelligence

W.B. Yeatsis often attributed as saying “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” Whether the Irish poet ever did so is open to debate, but the quote certainly encapsulates the importance of capturing our students’ imagination and seeing education from their perspective. This outlook is particularly relevant at the turning of the year, a time that provides an ideal opportunity to think about the future of higher education, retaining a realistic outlook without losing sight of our hopes and dreams: I believe universities are one of the pillars our global society is built on and can help to further prosperity, equality and justice.

Allow me to share with you some of the areas where I believe we will see positive transformation in higher education, some of which will be discussed at the nextReinventing Higher Educationconference, to be held atIE Universityin Madrid (5-6 March, 2018).

–Taking diversity seriously. We are seeing the formulation of a new relationship contract within the educational community, based on a progressive understanding of diversity. Though much has been achieved in recent decades to promote and embrace diversity, there is still ample room for growth.

Embracing diversity doesn’t just mean a fairer balance in the composition of the different stakeholder groups within a university, from student body to faculty and management, it also requires showing mutual concern and respect for others, particularly in relation to gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, culture, religion, nationality, and more broadly of all visions of the world what constitutes the good life.

We should remember that university has the same root as universal, meaning a space that can be shared by all. This approach brings richness to research, teaching and the whole learning experience.

I am confident that the progress made in embracing diversity as a value is irreversible in our global society, regardless of efforts in some quarters toward limiting access to university, along with visa restrictions and other forms of discrimination, which I am sure will be short lived.

–Blending the humanities, STEM and data sciences. Higher education should pursue a holistic approach to educating the next generation of global citizens. This requires studying the humanities, bonding different areas of knowledge, providing depth and critical thinking skills, as well as connecting us with people of different ages and from other cultures.

At the same time, a solid grounding in digital skills, data sciences and technology is demanded by recruiters and knowledge of these areas is essential for would-be entrepreneurs.

Any lingering misconceptions about a supposed contradiction between the humanities and STEM should have been dispelled by now, both by academic research and the simple fact that any number of successful entrepreneurs and CEOs have degrees in the humanities.

–Greater use of technology-supported forms of learning. Most university programs today combine traditional classroom-based courses with technology-assisted formats, including videoconferencing, online sessions, MOOCs, SPOCs and a plethora of learning apps.

Technology has the virtue of further humanizing education and adapting learning to the individual’s needs. As other academics have noted, it will not replace professors, but rather enhance their role as conductors of a richer and more sophisticated learning process.

–Greater emphasis on applied forms of learning, especially during the final stages of bachelor programs.Reflecting the demands of recruiters, students increasingly want hands-on work experience as part of their studies, allowing them start work the first day after graduation. Introducing work assignments, consultancy projects, internships and other initiatives associated to real life challenges may enhance the acquisition of much-needed practical skills.

Ideally, applied learning projects will take place in different countries, stimulating cross-cultural adaptation and a better understanding of diversity. Also, the implication of students in projects with a social dimension strengthens their sense of identity and commitment as global citizens.

–Lifelong education. Given that most of us will continue working longer than previous generations, this is an area with significant potential in higher education, but I wonder if universities are taking it seriously. Addressing the educational needs of the senior segment of the population with the products they need requires further innovation in terms of formats, teaching styles, coaching, and combining learning with covering health and personal needs.

Looking to the future, there is no doubt that education will remain one of the most fascinating and challenging professions. But perhaps the more immediate question we should be asking is whether our universities have the capacity to adapt and transform to meet the new and rapidly changing needs of their main stakeholders.